Alcohol's Effect on Testosterone and How It Affects Muscle Building and Fat Loss

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A lot of people sincerely try to lose weight, get in shape and try to build muscles while consuming considerable amount of alcohol. In a previous article entitled “Alcohol’s Effects on Weight Loss”, we looked at the effects of alcohol on fat metabolism and weight loss in general. In this article lets us review the effects of alcohol on testosterone.

Testosterone Exists in Both Men and Women

Testosterone is thought to be a male hormone but it exists in both genders and fulfills numerous functions. Women produce up to 2% of what a man would produce. It is produced in the testes of men and in the ovaries of women. In both sexes, testosterone aids in bone and muscle development and blood cell turnover amongst its many functions. It also influences libido in both men and women.

Testosterone’s Role in Burning Fat and Building Muscles

Testosterone’s effect on building muscles mass and reducing body fat levels have been well researched and documented (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, Journal of Endocrinology Invest) .

Research has found that testosterone can affect fat metabolism in the following ways;

Testosterone apparently blocks the effects of the Lipoprotein lipase enzyme. This is an enzyme that enables body’s fat cells to store fat. When fat cells are exposed to testosterone in test tubes, the activity of the lipoprotein lipase enzyme has been shown to be dramatically reduced.
Testosterone is able to increase fat metabolism by increasing certain key receptors on the fat cell-membrane to release fat as documented in the Journal of Metabolic Disorders.
Testosterone has been proven to increase insulin sensitivity (Journal of Endocrine Practise) and fat metabolism via the mechanisms explained above. It also enhances growth of muscle fibers.

As such, for someone trying to lose weight and gain muscles, it is vital to maintain optimum levels of testosterone.

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Alcohol and How its Metabolized

Alcohol can be categorized as a depressant drug. When consumed, approximately 20% is absorbed in the stomach and 80% in the small intestines. Like other depressant drugs, it slows down the pace of the brain. Approximately 90% of ingested alcohol is metabolized in the liver. The rest is excreted via breath and urine. Once the consumption of alcohol stops, blood concentration of alcohol decreases slightly every time the blood passes through the liver. An average person can eliminate approximately 15 ml of alcohol per hour. As such, a person would need an hour to remove alcohol from a can of beer with 5% alcohol content.

Alcohol Suppresses Testosterone

In a study published in the Journal Alcohol, healthy adult males were administered a dose of alcohol and observed for a period of 48 hours. It was found that the maximum decrease in testosterone was observed at 12 hours after consuming alcohol. Testosterone levels remained dipped for a period of 24 hours there after. Simultaneously, the levels of the hormone cortisol increased and stayed elevated for as long as testosterone levels were suppressed. Similar findings were also recorded in an article published in 2009 in the Bone Journal.

Why Does Alcohol Suppress Testosterone Production

Research has shown that alcohol suppresses testosterone by;

Increasing the breakdown and removal of testosterone from the blood
Decreasing testosterone production rate

A research articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine documents this. Although the study was extreme as the participants were given a daily alcohol dose of 220 grams, it clearly showed how testosterone was effected by alcohol.

Why Does Testosterone Breakdown Increase in The Presence of Alcohol

In an article published in the Journal Science, it was mentioned that the rate of breakdown of testosterone in the liver depends on an enzyme called testosterone reductases. Alcohol increases the activity of this enzyme to increase the breakdown activity of testosterone in the liver.

Why Does Testosterone Production Diminish in the Presence of Alcohol

Alcohol is broken down to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is rapidly converted to acetate by other enzymes and is eventually metabolized to carbon dioxide and water.

Although the liver is the primary site for breakdown of alcohol, the testes also possesses the enzymes necessary for alcohol breakdown. This ability of the testes to breakdown alcohol to acetaldehyde is documented in articles published in the Alcoholism and Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology. Apparently, the enzymes that help breakdown alcohol are also required for testosterone production. In the presence of alcohol, these enzymes in the testes are diverted to alcohol breakdown rather than facilitate testosterone production. This leads to a reduction in testosterone levels over time.

Cortisol released from Alcohol Consumption Suppresses Testosterone

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According to the study in Journal Alcohol and in the Bone Journal, alcohol consumption resulted in elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol 4 hours after the first drink. Cortisol remained elevated for 24 hours. Cortisol acts directly on cells in the testes to inhibit the production and release of testosterone. Stress hormones in our bodies help us during panic situations or “fight or flight” situations. In such conditions, the body shuts off the reproductive system by suppressing testosterone in order to channel blood into the muscles. This helps someone flee from an oncoming tiger and I am sure that reproduction is the last thing on one’s mind in such a situation. Testosterone levels will stay suppressed as long as cortisol levels are elevated.

Why is it That Some People Consume Alcohol But Still Have a Respectable Physique

As the research has shown, alcohol affects everyone. Every male testes has the ability to breakdown alcohol and as such testosterone production will be suppressed. There will be those who will be able to make respectable gains in losing fat and building muscles while consuming alcohol. But these same people can achieve more without alcohol. For the others who may have plateaued in their weight loss or muscle-building efforts, should take a step back to examine if alcohol could be having a detrimental effect on their training regime.

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